Sewing machine cabinets and means for elevating sewing machine heads



July 12, 1955 c. (2. JAMES 2,712,973

SEWING MACHINE CABINETS AND MEANS FOR ELEVATING SEWING lVUXCI'IINE HEADSFiled Dec. 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

July 12, 1955 JAMES 2,712,973

SEWING MACHINE CABINETS AND MEANS FOR ELEVATING. SEWING MACHINE HEADSFiled Dec. 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V/IIIIIIIIIII/II/II/Illi'l'll/ HillUnited States Patent SEWING MACHINE CABINETSAND MEANS FOR ELEVATWGSEWING MACHlNE HEADS Charles C. James, Los Angeles', Calif.

Application December 18 1951, Serial No. 262,290

3 Claims. (Cl. 312-26) The invention relates to improvements in suchequipment where a drop head sewing machine is lowered into a cabinetreceptacle when not in use, or swung to an operative position whendesired; and the objects of the improvements are, first to lighten theheavy load that the operator is forced to lift; second to automaticallyoperate the fiap which heretofore has had to be manually manipulated toclear the passage for the machine head as it is being elevated from alowered to an operative position; and, third, to reinforce present meansfor bracing the top extension hinged cover when the same is horizontallyextended.

In conventional sewing machine cabinets, insofar as I know, there is noadequate provision for elevating the head adaptable to various makes ofcabinets, nor one that has been adopted by the several leadingmanufacturers, because of additional structural requirements.

Sewing machine cabinets presently in general use entail certain manualoperations that are very trying on the average female operator, i. e.,she first has to lift the top flush cover and fold it over on its hingesto a parallel position, then raise the flap to clear the way for thepassage of the head from a stored to use position, lift the heavy metalhead above the raised flap, lower the latter to the cabinet surfacelevel and then lower the head until the edge of its base contacts andrests on the rabbeted edge of the flap which serves as a support.

As sewing machine heads weigh around thirty pounds, the need for apractical elevating device is fairly generally conceded, however, theavailable space in the storage receptacle of a drop head cabinet, is solimited by knee room requirements and styling that it has baffled formerattempts to provide adequate leverage movements and spring expansion.

In an efiort to reduce the number of manual operations and the weightlifting to a minimum, I have developed several features that contributeto this end, consisting of a combination of means for elevating the headto an operative position, cause the flap to rise in unison with thehead, and vice versa when it becomes necessary to return the head to aninoperative or stored position. In accomplishing this, I have alsoovercome the objectionable feature of present cabinet construction byreinforcing the cover leaf when it is extended, thereby eliminating to agreat extent its spring board action.

As will be seen from the following description, it is not only possibleto incorporate these features in new construction at the factory, but italso is possible to separately attach the feature that eliminates theobjectionable task of physically lifting the heads of machines alreadyon the market, or in the homes.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which;

Fig. l is a perspective view of a sewing machine equipped with headelevating means embodying my 2,712,973 Patented July 12, 1955 2invention, the head being illustrated in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal section on substantially the line 22 ofFig. l;

Fig, 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the head lowered into thecabinet;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on substantially the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail of means for bracing the hinged top extension memberwhen the head is raised and said top member extended;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the head in lowered position;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the means for assisting theraising of the head;

Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the means for latching the headsupporting flap in operative position;

Fig. 9 is a detail section on substantially the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a transverse section of a machine cabinet illustrating amodified form of the invention, the machine head being in loweredposition; and

Fig. 11 is a similar view illustrating the operation of the same.

The invention is primarily designed as part of sewing machines asmanufactured, but certain valuable features thereof are adapted forapplication to machines already constructed. Figs. 1 to 9 inclusiveillustrate the form of the invention preferably to be used in newconstruction at the factory, whereas Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate amodified form adapted for installation on machines already on the marketor in the homes.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive of the drawings, 1 indicates thebody or cabinet of a sewing machine having fixed end walls 2, a rearwall 2' and a bottom 6 which is upwardly and forwardly inclined to anarrow front piece 2" to provide knee room for the operator. The usualhinged front panel 2 is provided for closing the front of the cabinetwhen the machine is not in use, and may be provided with the usualreceptacle for holding the machine attachments. As this forms no part ofthe present invention said usual receptacle is omitted from thedrawings.

The usual rectangular skeleton top 3 is fixed to the body of the cabinetand the whole is supported by legs 7. The machine head base 15 is hingedto the rear rail 3 of the top 3, as at 16, and the front flap 5 ishinged to the front rail 3 as at 5 vided with a rabbeted edge 5 toengage under the forward edge of the head base 15 to support the same inoperative position.

Hinged to the top 3 is a top extension member 4 which while resting onthe top 3, as shown in dotted lines in- Fig. 6, closes the top of thecabinet; and when swung to the fully open position as illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2,

forms an extension of the work top.

Pivotally connected to the top extension member 4- is a U-shaped member10 comprising parallel arms 10' and a transverse, substantiallyhorizontal portion 10 connecting the free ends thereof. At the junctionof the arms 10' with the portion 10 are curved cam portions 1i)" and 10the purpose of which will appear hereinafter. Adjacent the ends of thecam portions 10* and iti the arms 10 are bent as at 10 to offset theportion 19" from the plane of the arms 16. When the top extension member4 is folded over the top 3 the U-shaped member it) depends into thecabinet in a substantially vertical position, as shown in Fig. 3; and asthe ex tension member 4 is swung upwardly and outwardly the U-shapedmember is lifted therewith.

Projecting laterally from the adjacent edge of the machine head base 15is a pin- 14; and a similar pin 24 The flap is pro-- 3. projects fromthe flap 5, said pins extending into the path of the cam portions 10 and19*, respectively, of the U-shaped member 16. As the U-shaped memberrises said cams '10 and 16 engage the respective pins 14 and- 24 and camthe same inwardly thereby correspondingly swinging the head base 15 andflap 5 out of vertical alignment with their respective hinges, and alsobringing the pins into engagement with the transverse portion 10''.Further upward movement tends to raise the head base 15 and flap 5 intohorizontal position as shown in Fig. 2. In order to maintain thehorizontal portion 16 beneath said pins throughout the operation, afulcrum plate 25 is fixed to the upper edge of the adjacent end wall 2and extends inwardly therefrom a suflicient distance for this purpose.The pins 14 and 24 are so positioned as to cause the head base 15 torise slightly in advance of the supporting flap 5.

When the flap 5 has reached an uppermost position it is automaticallylatched in position by a pair of latch bars 27 pivotally connected atone end to the opposite ends of a lever 26, the free ends of said barsbeing bevelled, as at 27' to engage and pass the bevelled ends 7 28' ofkeepers 28 fixed to the under face of the top 3.

See Fig. 9. Guide brackets 29 are provided for supporting the latch bars27; and the forward end of lever 26 is'provided with an upwardlyprojecting extension 26' whereby the latch bars 27 may be retracted whenit is desired to close the machine.

It will be noted that the extension member 4 is provided with grooves 11into which the adjacent portions of the arms 16' rest when the device isopen, and the upper face of the top 3 is similarly grooved as at 11' toaccommodate the remainder of said arms; said grooves being substantiallyof a depth equal to the diameter of said arms in order that the samewill be flush with the I top surfaces thereby presenting a smooth workface, as

illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Preferably a metal plate provided with thegrooves 11 is rabbeted into the upper face of the top 3 to prevent wear.When the cabinet is opened, the cross member 19" including the cams 10*and 10 continues to rest beneath the pins 14 and 24, and it is for thisreason that the U-shaped member is offset as at 10. Extending from theoflset portion of the U-shaped member 16 are a pair of prongs 19 whichengage under brackets 22 when the device is fully open, therebymaintaining the top extension 4 rigid.

In order to facilitate operation of the device and to relieve thevarious operative elements from undue strain, a spring arrangement, isprovided as illustrated in Figs. 4, 6 and 7. To this end an arm 17extends and depends from the end of the head base as illustrated inFigs. 4, 6 and 7. This'arrn can be attached by means of bolts and nuts,by difierent forms of welding, moulded to the unit at the time ofmanufacture, or by any other suitable form of attachment. As a meansforattaching, separating and aligning spring means, especially when morethan one spring is employed, I have used a link 18, Figure 4, one end ofwhich is pivoted to the arm 1'7 and the other end to spring or springs20, which in turn are adjustably attached to bracket 19.

In some unit construction the under surface space of the sub-surfacesurrounding the machine head is very limited for spring installation, Ihave therefore elected to use for illustration springs of smalldiameter. This provision permits free and unobstructed swinging of thehead.

Efforts have been made to elevate sewing machine heads by the use ofvertically positioned springs, however, I have found that while suchinstallations prove effective for the first stage .of the pull, thespring due to limited space for tensioning, has spent its strength atthe point where theheavy head unit is at the most difficult stage of itsupward travel towards a utile position,

I have therefore utilized the advantage of the greater distanceavailable for substantially horizontal installation, and have attachedthe spring or springs, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, at the novel locationof bracket 19, which can be attached to the cabinet wall, the undersurface of the sub-cover or any other available and suitable similarlylocated point. Bolts and wing nuts 21 are used for tensioning as well asto produce an adequate and properly balanced pull.

A further advantage of a substantially horizontal spring attachment liesin the fact that when the head base 15 is in the stored position shownin Fig. 6, the spring tension does not disturb its vertically disposedposition. This is accomplished by positioning the point of attachment ofthe spring to the arm 17 so close to the base axis 16 that the liftingaction of the spring does not become very effective until the arm 17 hasbeen moved from the substantially horizontal position of Fig. 6 to aslightly inclined position. I

The directional pull used by me, also the location of the attachmentbracket .19, have proven effective in greatly assisting manual operationin the elevating of the head to an operative position.

Ofisetting the spring or springs slightly beyond the end of the headbase, affords clearance for the head'unit to pass up and down; whereasif positioned vertically in the narrow space afiorded by modern stylingof conventional cabinets, the under surface of the head mechanism wouldjam the springs. Moreover the ofifset location I have elected to use,makes it possible to attach the springs horizontally, whereas if anattempt were made to position the springs horizontally away from the endWhen it is desired to elevate the head'to an utile position, theextension member 4 is manually raised, causing the U-bracket 1t),assisted by the springs already described, to contact extending finger14, whereupon the cam portion 10 of the U-bracket 10 exerts sidepressure on the finger 14 slidably swinging the head base to a positionwhere the springs and the U-bracketco-operate'in elevating the head baseto cabinet surface level.

In the course of the elevating operation, the flap 5 is raised to avertical position then swung away from the machine head'and lowered to ahorizontal, or surface level where it forms an extension and alfoidsadditionalwork space.

When the flap Sis in the position described above,

7 the prongs of the U-bracket have automatically leveled rests beneaththe extension pin 14, while the prongs 10 he beneath and are held byanchorage brackets 22,'the midsection of the U-bracket resting on theedge of plate 25 at 23, thereby producing a cantilever efiect andcontributing additional support to the suspended cover 4. Usually inconventional cabinet construction the sole support of the suspendedcover is produced by the abutment of its edge against the end wall ofthe machine cabinet.

As a result, at times when overloaded, the weight pries its fasteningsand splinters the woodwork adjacent thepoint of attachment.

In the factory installation, I have used a type of flap operation thatdiffers from the conventional, i. e., instead of the operator having tomanually raise it from a horizontal position to where thehead base canbe raised through the opening in the cabinet top, I have installed theflap so it will rest in a depended position while the head is stored.

As hereinbefore described, extension finger 24 protrudes from the edgeof flap 5 and that when the flap is downwardly disposed the finger 24 ispositioned above the cam portion 10 of the depending U-member, andduring the elevating of the head 15, said cam portion contacts thefinger 24 on the flap 5, exerting first side then upward pressurecausing the latter to rise in unison with the head base until the edgesof both are at a common plane with the edge of the head base resting onthe rabheted edge 39 of the flap 5, at which point the latching deviceas illustrated in Figure 8, becomes operative and locks the flap atsurface level.

In jobs already on the market, or in homes, where is not feasible toinstall the fiush cover U-part of the equipment, the spring elevatingfeature of the equipment may alone be used. In such cases where theU-member and associated equipment is not used, or installed, it isnecessary to install a different type of flap control for which I havemade provision as illustrated in l and 11. This type of installationconsists of a flap control rod 33 pivotally attached to flap anddepending bracket 34, the free end of rod 33 having two abutments 37 and38 one of which when engaged by the head durir its upward swing causesflap 5 to rise as illustrated in Fig. 11, and then after the head hasbeen swung upward through the opening in the cabinet surface the flapmay be lowered to where it rests on the conventional keeper means usedin the majority of sewing machine cabinet (Such keeper means usuallyconsists of a small metal extension attached to the under surface of asection of the cabinet sub-surface adjacent the ends of the flap.) Afterthe head has been elevated sumciently to allow the flap to be lowered towhere it rests on the keeper means, the head is then lowered, until itsedge rests on the rabbeted edge 39 of fiap 5 where it will then be inutile position.

When it is desired to return the head to an inutile position, the headmay be slightly raised to a position where the flap can be lifted forits clearance, then the head can be lowered followed by the automaticlowering of the flap, caused by the head base engaging abutment contactpoint 38, thereby shifting the flap control rod 33 causing the flap todescend to surface level. This movement repositions contact, or abutment37 to where it will again be in the path of the head movement forre-engagement when the head again starts upward. (The curved bottom 6represents the usual oil drip receptacle and is so shaped to afford kneeroom.)

While I have illustrated the best form of embodiment of my invention nowknown to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that thegreat variety of cabinet construction encountered in the sewing machinefield, will necessitate changes which must be made in the form theapparatus and which I reserve the right to make without departing fromthe spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and thatin some cases use certain features of my invention without acorresponding use of other features.

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine, a cabinet including an open top having a rearrail and a front rail, a machine head having a base hinged at one sideto said rear rail, a head supporting flap hinged to the front rail, tobe raised and lowered as said machine head and base are raised tooperating or lowered positions, a rigid arm depending from the hingedside of said base at one end thereof, at right angles thereto andadjacent the side of said cabinet opening, an extensible springconnected at one end to the lower end of said rigid arm and extendedhorizontally along the inner side of said cabinet to the front thereof,a bracket at the front of said cabinet, under said front rail to whichthe other end of said spring is connected, whereby to pull horizontallyon the lower end of said depending rigid arm, to exert lift on saidmachine head when it is to be moved to operating and tilted positions.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a pivoted link connectsthe first mentioned end of said spring to said rigid arm depending fromthe hinged side of said base, and in which said spring comprises aplurality of coiled springs connected with the link and with the bracketunder said front rail along the inner side of said cabinet to giveclearance for the movement of said machine head and base up and down insaid cabinet.

3. A sewing machine cabinet having an open top to receive a sewingmachine head therein, a sewing machine head with base hingedly connectedat one side with one side of said open top, a head supporting flaphingedly connected with the opposite side of said open top, to be raisedand lowered as said machine head is raised and lowered, a rigid armdepending from the under side of said base adjacent an inner side ofsaid cabinet, a link connected to the lower end of said arm, a coiledspring connected at one end with said link and extended horizontallyalong said inner side of said cabinet to give clearance for the movementof said sewing machine head and base up and down therein, the oppositeend of said spring being connected to the opposite inner side of saidcabinet, said spring being yieldingly extensible lengthwise whereby toexert horizontal pull on the lower end of said rigid de pending arm toassist lifting said sewing machine base and head, and a control rod forlifting said flap, and means for moving said rod simultaneously withsaid sewing machine base to and from operating position, thereby toavoid hand operation of said flap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS266,526 Rider Oct. 24, 1882 541,474 Diehl June 25, 1895 719,233 KundtzJan. 27, 1903 1,402,805 Stark Jan. 10, 1922 1,712,503 Koch May 14, 19292,247,380 Hohmann July 1, 1941 2,318,443 West May 4, 1943 2,589,393James Mar. 18, 1952

